


M is for Moult

by shir0ch4n



Series: He's Not That Bad [13]
Category: The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Warriors
Genre: ABC Challenge, Gen, I got a sun burn two weeks ago, Never Possessed!AU, man do I feel this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-31
Updated: 2019-07-31
Packaged: 2020-07-27 23:17:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20054176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shir0ch4n/pseuds/shir0ch4n
Summary: In related news: Stress! And what it does to the body. More at 11.





	M is for Moult

Far off in a secluded part of Hyrule a blue haired sorceress was keeping a vigilant watch over the land. Silently gazing at her shrouded crystal ball. At least as much as she could, her hyperactiveness wouldn't let her stay still for very long. But that's what her recently reacquired second half was for. The repentant witch would take turns with her better half whenever she needed a break and vice versa.

It was during one of Lana’s breaks that something entirely unexpected happened. Although, in hindsight they really should have seen it coming.

As Lana was about to leave the Valley Of Seers a sizable speck was seen in the sky. Lana recognized it as her constant companion since the war against Cia ended, but something was off. His flight pattern was erratic and unstable almost like…

like he was injured.

Lana immediately took off toward the ever growing speck with trepidation. She hoped her friend was ok. As she got closer she can see that he was draped in a cloak that had seen better days. He shakily landed on his knees a little way from her and as she reached him she noticed no signs of injury.  _ So why the erratic flight pattern. _

Then a grotesque clawed hand grasped her arm. The skin was peeled off in splotches with bright pink skin replacing it, it looked like he had sunburns all over his hand. The sleeve of his cloak slid down and she can see that whatever was happening didn't stop at his hands. Worry refilling her she redirected her gaze to his face and although the hood hid him well she can tell that it was happening there too.

“Oh, Hylia what happened?!”

“Lana, you need to help me!”

“I can see that!”

“Lana, I'm, I’m..”

Crouching now Lana anxiously waited for him to finish.

“I’M MOULTING!” Volga caterwauled.

The cerulean sorceress paused. At first it was confusion about what she heard. Then realization of what it meant. Finally shock at the fact of the outright childish behavior. Moulting of course was a natural process of any reptile and avian. It was something to expect quite frequently for lizards especially. She had stoically told him so.

“I know that! It actually happens every seven years for me. But, that's not the point!” The dragon argued.

“Then what is? Because from the way I see it it looks like you're being over dramatic over something that happens on a regular basis.”

“It's the timing and feel. It happened too early and the scales aren't falling off right!”

Tearing off the cloak he pointed at a patch of scales close to his left elbow. “This was supposed to fall off already but it hasn't!” Pointing at another patch near his ribs. “This wasn't supposed to fall off yet! And it just feels wrong.”

It looked wrong too. He was covered in pink patches, which Lana now knows is new scales, but they were actually pretty sparse upon closer examination. The dull red of unshed scales were more prominent about him.

“How long have you been moulting?” The sorceress questioned. If it had been a while then there was a problem.

“About two weeks now. I should be almost done already.” Was the distressed reply.

“Have you tried peeling them off yourself?”

Her suggestion was immediately met with an  _ are you stupid?! _ look.

“Well I don't know! Why did you come to me in the first place? Don't you guys have someone who knows about this?”

“If I go to someone in the clan about this they will panic! I'm still too new to them. They have no idea how I'm supposed to work. They freaked out when I didn't moult every few _weeks_! How do you think they'll react _now_?!” The irate, and a bit panicked, hybrid began to pace about.

“Then why come to me? I still don't understand.” And she really didn't. If the very beings he had lived with for centuries have no clue as to how to help him. How was she supposed to help.

Sighing he reluctantly replied, “Because as a timeless being I figured you would have at least seen something like this before.”

Seeing this huge amount of vulnerability from the usually very stoic dragon caught the sorceress off guard once again. This time she tried to think really hard about a time that she had seen something like this. But, even if she was half of the original Time Guardian she was also very new to this world. Then it struck her.

“WAIT! I know who might know more about this!” She excitedly exclaimed.

“Really?! Who?” Was the hopeful reply

“Cia!”

The witch was technically the  _ original _ Time Guardian since Lana was forced out of  _ her _ . Perhaps she can still recall all that she had witnessed in her time.

“...Cia?” The hybrid replied.

“Yeah! Why, what's wrong with asking her?” Lana noticed the slight hesitance.

“Nothing. It's just…”

“ _ Juust _ …”

Realizing that she wasn't going to get an answer the bluenette took action and grabbed the redhead.

“Well, since you're not objecting I guess we'll just go then.”

Startled, the hybrid didn't even have a chance to object before the sorceress opened a portal under their feet. Landing shakily the dragon took notice of the slight differences of their new location. Specifically that they were now inside a building and there was one other person there.

“Woah. What happened to you? You look like you had a fight with the sun and lost.”

And there it was. The reason why he didn't go to Cia in the first place.

“I'm leaving now.”

“Hey, I’m just messing with you. Come back and I'll help you with your moulting problem.” Piqued, Volga returned to where the sorceresses stood.

“You know what's wrong with him?” Lana was surprised that Cia actually knew what it was.

“I may have eavesdropped a bit but I do have a theory,”

“Volga have you ever taken a break since the wars ended?”

Taken off guard by the question Volga began to think back to a couple of months ago. Coming up with a blank he responded with the first thing that popped up, “I visited Lana every week.”

“That doesn't count and you know it.” The witch rebutted.

“Well, what does it matter if I took a break or not?” Snapped the dragon.

“It matters because it's why you moulted early and wrong.”

“Excuse me?”

Cia sauntered up to the knight. Placing a hand on his gem she continued, “there are cases of lizards moulting incorrectly due to stress. And knowing everything you've been through,” she gazed at the unmarred surface, “I believe you need some time off.”

Replacing her hand back to her side she playfully stated, “but first we need to get rid of your skin.”

* * *

After a lengthy apology and one dragon wrangling later, the Time Guardians had one unamused Dragon Knight wrapped in a multitude of warm and damp towels. It seemed as though the cure was to just loosen the scales enough so they can come off on their own.

“This is humiliating.” Volga pouted

“It was this or the pond and you flipped out with the pond.” Lana exasperated as she began to take some of the towels off.

“You threw me in there with no warning.” He seethed.

“Quit your whining you were fine.” Cia began to try to rub a couple of the loose scales off.

“It was  _ freezing _ !”

“We thought you would've warmed it up.” Lana piped up from a successful scale removal.

_ “With what?!” _

“Oh, I don't know? Yourself, maybe.” Cia suggested.

“I can't believe this.”

Although humiliated and teased relentlessly, the hybrid couldn't really complain. After all he was  _ technically _ taking a break.

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I am not an expert please take your scaly companion to your nearest vet if they do start moulting as described for the best approach to help them. Thank you.
> 
> Man, if Volga had lived past the _FIRST_ war he would have had to deal with; Ganondorf coming back and actually _winning_, the Ganon fight, and the Phantom Ganon appearance along with the _ THIRD FLIPPING WAR_. I'd be stressed the fuck out too to be honest.
> 
> I have the whole thing already completed but I will still take requests within this AU for our favorite dragon knight.
> 
> Give me art and see my art go here: [shir0ch4ns-art](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/shir0ch4ns-art)


End file.
